Motorized mount for chemical mortars



April 23, 1940. TATE 2,197,816

MOTORIZED MOUNT FOR CHEMICAL MORTARS Filed Sept. 7, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

BY Ralph H. Tate W65? @uQe,

ATTORNEY A 23, 1940. R H TATE 2,197,816

MOTORIZED MOUNT FOR CHEMICAL MORTARS Filed Sept. 7. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

BY RQ/p/I H7411: WMQSTM ATTORNEY April] 23, 1940. H AT'E 2,197,816

MOTORIZED MOUNT FOR CHEMICAL MORTARS Filed Sept. 7'. 19:57 3 Sheets-Sheet s i Q 3 Q N INVENTOR.

BY Ra/ph a A TTORNE Y Patented Apr. 23, 1940 hldfiid ear rips IVEOTORIZED MGUNT CHER/HEAL li/[ORTARS Ralph H. Tate, Edgewood Arsenal, Md.

Application September 7, 1937, Serial No. 162,723

Claims. (Cl. 89-40) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manu- The vehicle may be of any type and no invention factured and used by or for the Government for is claimed as regards the usual parts thereof governmental purposes, without the payment to such as the engine, steering mechanism, wheels applicant of any royalty thereon. and axles, and other standard parts. However, 5 This invention relates to a motorized mount the rear portion of the body is of special design. 5 for chemical mortars. The chemical mortar is An automotive vehicle is illustrated which has a relatively light, portable weapon which was a low over-all height in order to avoid easy spotdeveloped during the World War for use in the ting by the enemy. The vehicle has the body i, trenches. The mortar is placed in an inclined iront and rear wheels 2 and and the usual inposition and is fired by dropping the shell into ternal combustion engine. Th real DOTtiOIl 10 the muzzle, the powder chargebeing fired when of g the vehicle is provided with two channelthe shell hits a firing pin in the base of the morshaped runways having their open sides facing tar. The shells are generally filled with chemical inwardly for slidably receiving the carriage frame warfare agents, such as smoke or fume-generatand mortar support mechanism designated genm h l erally by numeral The mortar is never fired 15:

o important advantage of th h mic l morfrom its carried position on the vehicle but is tar is its ready mobility, since it may be easily pp d Over the l of the Vehicie to rest on disassembled and carried to a new emplacement the ground, and is fired at an elevated angle over by soldiers. Due to the modern mechanization of t e Veh e, as een in F g. l.

armed forces, it is desirable that this Weapon be e mortal barrel 7? is S Pl tBd at its lower mounted on a motor vehicle for rapid transport, end on a base plate 8 which rests on the ground and so arranged that it can be rapidly placed in during fi e pper p rti of mortar l firing position. is supported in a cradle connected to carriage The principal object of this invention is to proframe 3 by an elevating screw 9, the lower end of vide a mount for chemical mortars which may be the Screw being pp t d y a d a justable attached to a motor or other-vehicle for rapid t ansverse y 0 a e 5- A p vy Springs transportation, the mount being arranged for t e o il d o the base plate 8 by chains 5? ready emplacement on the ground. d to t e frame of the vehicle.

A further object of this invention is to provide On Ol l S Sides o 131w e e djacent he a m unt of th b e indicated character which rear end are boxes is in which are carried the 3.0. may be quickly emplaced on the ground for sang shells for the mortar, these boxes having doors in stable position on any type of terrain, and which w ls w r y- As n m Fi which is rapidly seated in firm position so that the frame d is slidable between and beneath the accurate firing may be obtained without ma- Shell boxes l3 fortransport of the mortar. terial adjustments. Referring to: Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the slidable car 35 These n various other objects ill b riage frame 6 includes two side members i5 pref" parent from the following description and apm y of Channel iron Connficted 393951161? y pended i it th understanding t t, t cross pieces it, ii, and i3, bolted or welded to invention is not limited to the detailed construcd m mbers ifi. The width of frame 6 is such 40 tion of the embodiment herein described and ilat it iS l da l Within the channel members 4i)- 1 t t :3 of the vehicle. Channels i 5 are slidable within In the drawings Channels 5 on the vehicle and carry four sets of Fig. l is a side elevation of the vehicle with the anti-frictifiln r ers 9, one roller of each set mortar mount in firing position. bearing against the upper rim of channel 5 and Fig. 2 is a plan of the vehicle with the mortar one aga st the 10WB1 gl rons 2! are 45 i running positi0n secured to cross members it, it, and i8, and pro- Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective of the mount vide a bearing for rotatable traversing screw 22 in firing position. which is rotated by wheel 23.

Fig. 4 is a. plan of the stationary and movable Adjacent th r nt end I" frame 6 are two frame members th parts b k away bracing members 2% which are secured to cross 50 Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. member iii and ii. Members 24 support a saddle Fig. 6 is an end elevation thereof. member 25 in. which the barrel of the mortar Referring to the drawings wherein like referrests during transport as seen in Fig. 1 suitable ence characters indicate like parts, Figs. 1 and 2 straps 26 being used to prevent movement of the show the mount in its relation to the vehicle. barrel. 55

The stationary frame 5 has a latch 21 operable by handle 28, this latch engaging cross member [6 to retain slide 6 in. the forward position. Pivoted to the two stationary channels 5 near the rear of the vehicle are two spring pressed latches 29 which engage cross member H on the slide to prevent the slide from moving forward during firing. These latches may be released by handles 3|.

Secured to the upper faces of stationary channels 5 near the rear are hooks 32 positioned in pockets formed by angular plates 33, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. The base plate 8 has angles 34 projecting outwardly from the forward corners which are adapted to engage hooks 32 when the weapon is being transported, as seen in Fig. 1, the baseplate being supported in vertical position.

Baseplate 8 comprises a rectangular plate having spades on the lower surface todig into the earth and hold the plate against movement after an initial round of firing. On the upper surface of baseplate 8 is a pivotal connection 35 for barrel T, and hand bars 36 along two sides to facilitate handling of the weapon.

The mortar barrel 1 is supported at its center by a cradle 3'3 which is connected to a traversing and elevating mechanism. The elevating and traversing mechanism includes a clevis 38 which may be readily attached to cradle 3'! by a re movable pin. Clevis 38 is secured to the end of elevating screw 9 which extends into and through the support 39. Hand wheel M is rotatab-ly connected to support 39 and has a corresponding threaded opening engaging the threads on screw 9, whereby rotation of the hand wheel will raise or lower the cradle 31 and mortar barrel 1.

Support 39 has a portion which is threaded on traversing screw 22 of the carriage frame 6. By rotating wheel 23, traversing screw 22 may be rotated to thus move support 39 and barrel 1 transversely, a mil scale (not shown) serving to indicate the degree of movement.

Operation-During transport the weapon is loaded as shown in Fig. 2, with the slidable frame 6 moved forward and held by catch 2i, Fig. 5.

Wings 34 on baseplate 8 are caught in hooks 32 and the barrel 1' rests in cradle 25 and is retained by strap 26. When in firing position the latch 2'! is released by raising handle 28,. the baseplate is grasped by bars 36, and the baseplate is rotated to a horizontal position and lowered to the ground. The parts are then in the position shown in Fig. 3.

When the frame 6 slides to the rear, the rollers I9 rotate within the stationary channels 5. When the frame is at the rear position, catches 29 automatically engage cross member I! to hold the assembly in position. The barrel may be raised or lowered by hand wheel 4! or traversed by wheel 23. Channels 5 have end closure plates 42, Figs. 3 and 5, to prevent slide 6 becoming disengaged.

The shells are readily accessible in compartments I3. During firing the baseplate seats itself in the ground and chains l2 and springs I I prevent further backward movement, springs I I preventing shocks being transmitted to the vehicle frame. The mortar may be rapidly replaced in the vehicle for transport.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may be made therein by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A mobile mount for a chemical mortar com.- prising a wheeled vehicle having a stationary frame including longitudinal guide rails, a slidable frame movable longitudinally on said rails, said slidable frame having a threaded traversing screw mounted in bearings, a traversing block threaded on said screw, an elevating screw passing through said block, means on said block to raise and lower said elevating screw, a mortar barrel having its upper portion supported by said elevating screw, a baseplate connected to the lower end of said barrel, said elevating screw and barrel and baseplate being rotatable about said traversing screw from a horizontal traveling position to a firing position with the baseplate on the ground, and a hand wheel for rotating said traversing screw.

2. A mobile mount for a chemical mortar comprising a wheeled vehicle, a substantially rectangular rigid frame slidable longitudinally in the vehicle, a threaded traversing screw supported transversely of and adjacent the rear of said frame, a traversing block threaded on said screw and movable across the frame by rotation of said screw, an elevating screw passing through said block perpendicular to said traversing screw, means on said block to raise and lower said elevating screw, a chemical mortar barrel secured to the upper end of said elevating screw, and a baseplate directly pivoted tothe lower end of said barrel and adapted to transmit the recoil of the barrel to the ground when the mortar is fired, whereby the mortar may be pivoted about the traversing screw as a center from a horizontal transporting position to an elevated firing position with the baseplate resting on the ground and the traversing screw supporting the barrel for firing over the vehicle.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein latches are provided on the vehicle which engage the slidable frame when in its firing position to prevent forward movement thereof.

4. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the slidable frame supports an upstanding semicircular cradle upon which the mortar barrel rests during transport.

5. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein two spring members connect the baseplate and the stationary portion of the vehicle.

RALPH H. TATE. 

